Barcelona Blog

It can all be a little overwhelming, the city may not be huge but the culture, activities, events, eateries etc. is vast. So we have taken it upon ourselves to amalgamate our
local 12 years experience in the city via our blog. Whether you are planning on coming over for the festivals, want to find out vegan eats or general insider information,
we will keep you in the loop.

Drap-Art 2011

The Drap-Art’11 festival focuses on the possibilities of creative recycling: group exhibitions of art and designer objects made from recyclable materials, interventions in public space, participative workshops -with children, -instrument making (Let’s recycle, Let’s sing!), -objects (making flowers from coffee capsules) -performances, and several round table discussions (- The infinite possibilities of recycling. – The culture of squandering in times of crisis). continue reading

You don’t have to be an expert to enjoy fine wine. Anyone can understand the joy of uncorking a new bottle handpicked by someone dear to you – and the assistance of an expert sommelier always helps, too. With an astounding reputation as one of the top five wine cellars in the world, Monvínic houses a dizzying selection of over 3,000 hand-selected bottles. continue reading

One of the freshest designers to grace Barcelona in several years, Mariam Ponsa is well-known for her classic approach to modern fashion, using traditional techniques and dyeing methods to create luxurious and unique pieces with an edge.

Tucked away in the Gotico area, Formatgeria La Seu is a small cheese shop dedicated to bringing us only the finest and most sought-after cheeses from the farthest reaches of Spain, each one hand-selected by the owner (Scottish born Katherine McLaughlin).

Rubbing shoulders with MACBA in the stylish upper part of Raval, Open House is a British-run design shop home to an eclectic blend of design wares, from the locally-based Basque illustrator Ibai Etxeberria to Swedish jewellery designer Lo Lou and unusual jewellery made of natural elements bone, carbon and wood by Karlota Laspalas.

A short stay in Barcelona is all too easily recognized by a return home with suitcases of endless garish gaudi paraphernalia, I HEART Barcelona sweaters and Sagrada Familia keyrings…but why are we all too often tempted by souvenir rubbish, made in China, when there is such an exquisite variety of genuine artesan-made, locally-designed products at our feet, begging to be discovered and lovingly regaled to our nearest and dearest this festive season? continue reading